My Favorite Things…2016

Here are some of the things I’ve been loving throughout the last year. This list will satisfy all of your senses and nourish you from the inside out. Happy 2017!

Food & Cooking

Roast Chicken: I didn’t start making roast chickens simply because I aspire to be Ina Garten in my next life, but that is a major piece of it. [Step one: make a roast chicken. Step two: find a Jeffrey to eat said roast chicken…]  I also did it because it’s so easy and cozy. BUT you have to do this one thing. Or it won’t be nearly as tasty. Salt it a day ahead and leave it to dry out on a rack in the fridge uncovered. The skin will be so crisp and the meat will be seasoned all the way through. I promise. I’ve been roasting mine at a high temperature (typically around 450 F) for super crisp skin but the internet tells me that I could also do it low and slow for more tender meat (and less crisp skin). I’m tempted to experiment with the reverse sear method by cooking it low and slow and then blasting it in a hot oven to get the best of both worlds. Has anyone done that with chicken?

Homemade Applesauce: It’s so easy. So tasty. I just got my wisdom teeth out (as you will hear all about in a future post) and made a big batch in preparation. I cored and roughly chopped a 3 lb bag of macintosh apples (with the skins on) and tossed them in a big pot with 1/4 inch of water and a cinnamon stick. That sat covered on the stove, stirred occasionally, until the apples were mushy. I blitzed it with an immersion blender since I needed it to be completely smooth for after my surgery but it is also delicious when left a little chunky with pieces of skin. I actually ate it chunky last week with a batch of latkes — very tasty and SO sweet! You definitely don’t need any additional sugar.

Toast In A Pan: Guys. Good crusty bread + butter or olive oil + hot pan (cast iron is great) = the crispiest, most flavorful toast to ever touch your lips. Trust me. That texture. You will never go back to the toaster.

Indoor Herb Gardens: I planted a bunch of herbs in window boxes over the summer to keep on the inside ledge of my south-facing kitchen window and they are still going strong! I love being able to clip whatever I need right as I’m cooking and they have held up beautifully during the first few months of a chilly winter. I planted thyme, basil, rosemary, chives, and flat leaf parsley. I also have a separate pot of mint that is also quite prolific. If you like to cook and enjoy food with flavor, I would highly recommend a mini kitchen garden.

Skincare

Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream: During the summer in particular, but also during these frigid winter days, I don’t enjoy using moisturizers that make my face feel warm. Maybe some people like that? I love the gel formula of this moisturizer because it’s so cooling on my skin and I can feel my skin eagerly absorbing it immediately upon contact. During the day I use a second moisturizer with SPF on the top to protect my precious skin (like the Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer or the Garnier Brightening & Smoothing Daily Moisturizer).

Blistex Medicated Lip Balm: This lip balm works very well on even the most chapped lips. After having a little battle with a cold, my lips were so unhappy. I tried using other lip balm, rather unsuccessfully, before discovering I had one of these guys tucked away in the deep dark depths of my desk. Luckily for me, I’ve rediscovered this old college favorite and my lips were back to normal in less than a day.

Media

Jane The Virgin: This show, as I’ve told my friend Maria, is a tantalizing combination of comedy and drama. The characters find themselves in the silliest of situations but also have to confront very realistic and relatable issues. There is the perfect amount of drama to keep me excited for the next episode without being too intense and making me stressed out. The show also seamlessly incorporates a lot of Spanish dialogue, which I think is unique and quite lacking in mainstream American television.

Happier (podcast): Who wouldn’t want to think about ways to make their lives happier?? As a psychology nerd, I LOVE anything focused on self-improvement and happiness so I’m all ears when Gretchen Rubin and her sister Elizabeth Craft discuss strategies for overcoming obstacles in pursuit of being happier. They provide tangible steps for creating and keeping good habits and share examples from their own lives of successes and bumps in the road. Even if I don’t explicitly try out every one of their “Try this at home” tips, I love thinking about how the topics apply to my life and how I see them play out in the world around me. And as someone who thoroughly enjoys categorizing things, I’m also pretty interested in Gretchen’s Four Tendencies. I’m a Questioner….what are you?

Ladies Who Lunch (podcast): Listening to this podcast is like getting to hang out with your best friends. Ingrid and Cat talk in great depth about a huge range of topics from racism, loneliness, and shame to relationships, sexuality, and personal identity as well as respond to related listener questions. Be aware that this podcast explores some topics that are often considered taboo so use discretion. I, however, think that this openness is part of what makes this podcast so interesting, genuine, and unique.

Modern Love (podcast): These stories of love in all forms make me feel so many emotions. These are essays that have been published in the New York Times, written by average people and then read on the podcast by actors, actresses, and other known personalities. They are all beautifully written and give an honest window into someone else’s life and the actors’ readings bring them to life. I think my favorite part is that after the essay is read, the author shares, in the present day, how their life has evolved beyond the essay so you get a more complete ending to the story. Over the summer I loved to listen to this podcast while I was weeding my garden; it was so calming and guided me into someone else’s world.

Nutrition Matters Podcast (podcast…duh): Just as I love psychology, I am very interested in cooking and nutrition. I’m not one to cling to diet trends so I love that Paige focuses on a realistic real food and intuitive eating approach. She has inspiring guests join her for almost every episode, typically other Registered Dietitians, and they discuss their views on issues ranging from eating disorders and exercise to body image and picky eaters. I love the variety of topics and her realistic outlook.

Clearly I’ve been loving podcasts this year!

Books

Public Libraries: How incredible is it that you can bring home books to read whenever you want and they are absolutely free!? I’m obsessed.

Christmas Jars by Jason Wright: Now I might be a little late to this party but I just discovered this book in December and loved it. I had just finished a very emotionally draining book and immediately ran off to the library (in the middle of a snow storm nonetheless) to furiously search for something to lift my spirits. This was everything I could have hoped for. It’s short, easy to read, and so uplifting; it reminded me that there is a lot of good in the world even when it may so often be hidden beneath a blanket of unhappiness and tragedy.

Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus: This book is definitely not a tale of a girl and her seven dwarf friends…it’s a murder mystery. The story kept me hooked all the way through without being too over-the-top stressful or frightening. Just when you think you may have it all figured out, Neuhaus twists the plot a little bit more. I’d definitely recommend it for anyone who loves mysteries.

Comfort

Candles: I love having candles around the house for a bit flickering light and comforting fragrance. I particularly like Kringle Candles (favorite scents include balsam fir and wild hollyberry) and Prosperity Candles.

Super Soft Blankets: I received one of these beauties for Christmas and I am so happy. I wrap up in it every afternoon after work and I suggest you find a big comfy blanket and do the same.